Lord of the Rings day

Apparently it is possible to see a new film in a franchise without marathoning its predecessors, but where’s the fun in that?

It was late 2012, the Hobbit was due out Boxing Day, and we weren’t going to get through nine hours of movies without stupid amounts of movie-themed food. (At least that’s what I told myself – as if I needed an excuse to create stupid amounts of movie-themed food…)  Besides, it wouldn’t be Middle Earth without second breakfast, elevenses and twelve other meals shoe-horned in…

As always, Google was my research assistant, aided by some out-of-the-box thinking.  Here is some of the final creations:

The Savoury:

• Prancing Pony Platter  – an excuse to have some actual real food amongst the madness.  Included crusty bread, BBQ chicken and sandwich vegetables
• Dead Marshes Dip – guacamole and blue corn chips (with another dip I can’t quite remember…)
• Balrog Fire Dip – hot salsa and spicy corn chip
• Stuffed Mallorn Leaves – store bought dolmades (rice-filled vine leaves, for those not yet converted)
• Eye(s) of Sauron – carrot rounds, a splodge of cream cheese, a dollop of sweet chilli and half a sultana
• Hobbit Feet – beef and cheese sandwiches cut with a cookie cutter, sprouts for hair

To complete the savoury madness, I created “Mount Fondoom” – cheese fondue on top of a “mountain”, into which we threw “rings” in the form of burger rings, pretzel rings and toobs.

 

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The sweet:

we ended up having a “dessert room” as there wasn’t enough room for the sweets out with the savoury.  This in itself was enough to excite several of the guests…

• Cahardas Pfeffeneusse: – I cheated and bought these ready made
• More Rings – this time gummy and apple rings
• Leaves of Lothlorien – store-bought mint leaves lollies
• Shelob and Ent cakes – chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting.  The Ents  were Christmas tree sprinkles I found at the local shop; the spiders were made with maltesers and liquorice
• Gollum’s Goodies – store-bought chocolate fish
• Uruk-hai Creation Mousse -this was the most fun and also the most disturbing.  Brown jelly baby men* in instant chocolate mousse  (*I don’t actually remember what these lollies are officially called, perhaps you can help out in the comments…)
• Wizard Hat Cookies – peanut butter cookies with Hershey’s kisses pushed into them while still warm
• Bag End Cookies – butter cookies with brown and green fondant, topped with a yellow mini M&M for the handle

 

Turned out to be a fabulous day, enjoyed by all who rolled themselves home…